Method and apparatus for making capsules by submerged filling action



March 28, 1939. R, P. SCHERER 2,152,101

'5V SUBMFYHF PUILING AC'TTON METHOD AND APPARATUS FDR MAKTNG CAPSULES 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Oct. 28, 1935 zNvENTc-Jr.

ffber Scherer ATTORNEYS.

March 28, 1939. R. P. SCHERER METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING CAPSULES in SUBMBRGED mmm@ ACTION Filed 001;. 28, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. oert F. Scherer BWM/WNW Q ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 28, 1939 PATENT OFFICE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING CAPSULES BY SUBMERGED FILLING AO- TION Robert P. Scherer, Detroit, Mich. Application October 28, 1935, Serial No. 47,095

9 Claims.

My invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for forming and filling capsules with a fluid or semi-fluid content. An object is to provide an improved method and apparatus whereby capsules may be rapidly and cheaply lled with accurately measured dosages of a iluid iiller content and without wastage of material and as a continuous operation.

Another object is to provide an improved lo method and apparatus of the character described whereby capsules may be lled with a fluid content as set forth herein and without admission of air into the interior of the capsules to form air bubbles in the content ingredients. 5 Other objects, advantages, and meritorious features of my improved method apparatus will more fully appear from the following description, \appended claims, and accompanying drawings,

wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section of apparatus embodying my invention and adapted to carry out my improved process,

Fig. 2 is a vertical view partly in section taken at right angles to the view of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a plan partly broken away of the sta.- tionary supports for the die rolls.

In carrying out my invention I employ a tank Ill adapted to contain uid filler content material with which the capsules are to be illed. This tank has a bottom I2 shaped as shown in Fig. 1 and the capsule filler content material stands therein to the level indicated in such gure. A pair of hollow complementary cooperating die rolls I3 are mounted for rotation upon station- 35 ary shaft'elements I4 and disposed within the tank to rotate together partially submerged below the fluid level. 'I 'hese die rolls are provided with a plurality of peripheral cup shaped recesses or capsule die cavities I6, each of which cavities communicates through a passageway I8 4 with the interior of the rou, and which are arranged in spaced apart relationship circumferentially and axially of the roll. These die cavities are correspondingly located on the two rolls 45 so as to be brought into registration as shown in Fig. 1 on rotation' of the rolls. A ledge I'I encircles each die cavity.

Mechanism is provided for forming and feeding a pair of plastic gelatin bands or strips into submergence into the tank and between the die 5 rolls where the capsules are formed and lled.

This mechanism comprises a gelatin tank 22 wherein molten gelatin is maintained at the desired temperature through heating means notl shown. This tank has two horizontal discharge (c1. lsf-21)' outlet slots one to veach of a pair of drums or rolls 24 on which the gelatin is spread and formed by cooling into a band 26. These two bands are led from the two drums 24 into the top' of `the tank I0 passing under heaters 28 and are 5 directed over the die rolls I2 as shown. Each band closely hugs its die roll due to tension purposely created and the two bands come into juxtaposition between the rolls.

The two shaft elements I4 are similar as are 10 f the die rolls and serve as the stationary support over which the roll rotates. Each shaft element is cored out as illustrated providing an axial passageway 30 which communicates through a radial passageway 32 with a circumferential recess 34. 15 This recess is open to the inner surface of the die roll and establishes communication with the inner ends of the die cavity passageways I8. The passageways 30 of the two shaft elements are in communication through a conduit 36 which in 20 turn communicates with a vacuum pump not shown.

Each shaft element is also cored out axially as at 42. The passageway 42 communicates through a lead 44` with peripheral recesses 46. These open tothe inner surface of the die roll 25 to establish communication with the die cavities through the passageways I8. The two passageways 42 of the two shafts communicate with each otherthrough aconduit 43 which is open to the atmosphere whereby the recesses 46 4of 30 these two shaft elements are opened to the atmosphere.

Motor drives the die rolls through shaft 48, worm 50, and gear 52. Gear 52 together with gear 54 and sprocket 56 is connected by a key 51 to a sleeve 58 rotatably supported upon shaft element I4. Each shaft element I4 is provided with such a sleeve and each sleeve is provided with a ange connected by studs 62 or the like with the die roll to drive the die roll. A 40 gear 54 of the sleeve which is driven directly from the worm drives a corresponding gear 54 on the other sleeve to drive the other sleeve whereby the two die rolls are oppositely driven.

A drive chain 64 connects sprocket 56 of lsleeve 45 58 with shaft 23 which carries a drum 24. Each sleeve 58 is provided with a sprocket 56 and the chains which engage these two sprockets cross each other extending in opposite directions to engage oppositely disposed drum shafts 23 as 50 shown in dotted outline in Fig. 1.` AThe drum shafts carry sprockets over which these drive chains travel.

Rotation of the die mns l2 and the drums'za u causes the two gelatin bands 28 to enter the liquid within the tank I and pass over the die rolls as shown. As each roll rotates its die cavities I8 are brought into communication with the vacuum recess 34 in its shaft element I4 and that portion of the gelatin band overlying the die cavities is drawn into the'die-cavities forming cavities or cups in the band. 'Ihese cups ll with liquid as the strip moves through the liquid within the tank. When two such liquid iilled cups are brought into registration, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the bands are urged together by the ridges or iianges which surround the complementary die cavities of the two rolls, and the bands are united together around these liquid filled deformations forming capsules about the iluid content material carried in the two halves thereof. These anges l1 not only seal the two bands together around' the cavities formed therein forming a capsule about the uid content of the cavities but also serve to sever the gelatin band surrounding such capsule so that the capsule is releasable from the band.

As the two die rolls rotate following the formation o1' a capsule in their complementary die cavities, these die cavities are brought into communication with the atmospheric condition 46 of the shaft element I4 and that capsule is thereby released for ejection from the band. 'I'he passageways 42 here illustrated as communicating with the atmosphere might communicate with a conventional air pressure pump should such additional pressure prove to be desirable.

Stripper mechanism in the form of a Wedge block 66 that is disposed upon one side of the web as shown in Fig. 1 and a stripper roll 68 is arranged on the opposite side of the web and is adapted to rotate counter to the direction of travel of the web as shown to strip the lled capsules 59 from the web depositing them upon a conveyor belt 'l0 from which they are carried to an elevator 12 to be discharged to a collector pan '|4. The stripper roll 68 is driven by a chain 16 from shaft 18, sprockets being provided to eifect the drive. The shaft 18 may be driven by the conveyor belt 10 from shaft 80 which in turn may be driven from shaft 82 by suitable intermeshed gears 84 and 86. 'I'he shaft 82 is shown in Fig. 2. It is driven by chain drive 88 from shaft 90, suitable chain sprockets being provided. 'Ihe shaft 90 may be driven by chain 92 from a sprocket on shaft 94 which in turn is driven from the adjacent drum shaft 23 by suitable gears, Fig. 2.

The web of gelatin after the formed illed capsules are removed therefrom is withdrawn from the tank over idler rolls 98 and deposited in a receptacle |00. A pair of drag rolls |02 engage the web to effect this movement. These drag rolls are driven by suitable gears from the adjacent drum shaft 23 including gears |04 and |06 one of which, 96, is shown in 'and a suitably positioned intervening gear not shown in Fig. 1.

In operation the gelatin strips are withdrawn into the die cavities I6 of the die rolls to form the two halves of the capsule. These halves fill with the liquid filler content and upon continuation of rotation of the rolls are brought into registration as described. The gelatin strips are sealed together around the margins of the filled cavities and while they are submerged. 'Ihe air is excluded from entering the interior of the capsules due to this submergence. The capsules are completely filled with the liquid ller content material. 'iiie capsule itself is positively formed by means other than the pressure of the liquid filler material itself.

1. 'I'hat method of forming and lling capsules with a liquid filler content comprising submerging a pair of strips of capsule forming material within said liquid filler content and while submerged advancing them along converging paths intojuxtaposition, forming corresponding cavities in such strips prior to juxtaposition thereof and while the strips are submerged urging corresponding portions of the strips surrounding said cavities together sealing said portions together thereby forming liquid 'lled capsules.

2. That method of forming and filling capsules with a liquid filler content comprising submerging a pair of strips of capsule forming' material within said liquid ller content and while submerged advancing them along converging paths into juxtaposition, applying suction to corresponding selected portions of said strips forming cavities therein prior to the submerged juxtaposition of the strips, advancing said strips while submerged into converging juxtaposition bringing corresponding cavities into submerged registration, urging said strips together surrounding said submerged cavities sealing the same together forming liquid lled capsules, and severing said strips surrounding said capsules and releasing the suction therefrom.

3. That method of forming and filling gelatin capsules with a liquid filler content comprising corresponding lled cavities and severing the strips about said capsule.

4. 'Ihat method of forming and filling gelatin capsules with a liquid filler content material comprising advancing a pair of gelatin strips While submerged in the liquid ller content materia] along converging paths into juxtaposition, applying suction to corresponding areas of said strips to form corresponding cavities therein and maintaining said cavities therein until the strips are brought into submerged juxtaposition, urging and sealing said strips together while submerged along the margins of said corresponding cavities, forming capsules iilled with said liquid content material severing said illed capsules from the remaining portion of the strips and releasing the suction therefrom.

5. That method of forming and lling gelatin capsules with a liquid viiller content material comprising advancing a pair of plastic gelatin strips while submerged in the liquid filler content material along converging paths into juxtaposition, forming corresponding cavities in said strips and maintaining said cavities therein during the lsubmerged advance of said strips into juxtaposition, urging said strips together while submerged along the margins of said cavities with sufllcient pressure to seal said margins together forming lled gelatin capsules and with suiiicient pressure to substantially sever said filled capsules from the remaining portion of the strips. and applying pressure to said lled capsule bodies to extrude the same from the strips.

6. Apparatus for forming and iilling capsules with a liquid iiller content comprising a liquid iiller tank, mechanism operable to advance a pair of strips of capsule forming material along converging paths into juxtaposition within said tank including a pair of die rolls provided with corresponding capsule forming cavities, said rolls being rotatably supported within the tank to urge said strips into submerged juxtaposition between the rolls and with corresponding cavities of the rolls moved into registration sealing the strips together around the margins of said cavities, mechanism operable to establish a suction within corresponding cavities of the rolls drawing corresponding portions of the strips thereinto prior tol the juxtaposition of the strips between the ro ls.

7. Apparatus for forming and iilling capsules with a liquid illler content comprising a liquid illler tank, mechanism operable to advance a pair of strips oi' capsule forming material along converging paths into juxtaposition within said tank including a pair oi' die rolls provided with corresponding capsule forming cavities, said rolls being rotatably supported within the tank to urge said strips into submerged juxtaposition between the rolls and with corresponding cavities of the rolls moved into registration sealing the strips together around the margins oi said cavities, and severing said strips surrounding the line of sealing thereof together, and mechanism operable to establish suction within said cavities to draw corresponding portions of the strips thereinto prior to the submerged juxtaposition of the strips between the rolls, and mechanism operable thereafter to increase the air pressure within said cavities as the lled sealed capsule bodies are fed from between said die rolls.

8. Apparatus for forming and filling capsules with a liquid iiller content comprising a liquid filler tank, mechanism operable to advance a pair of strips of capsule forming material along converging paths into juxtaposition within said tank including a pair of die rolls provided with corresponding capsule forming cavities arranged circumferentially thereof, said rolls supported for rotation within the tank and adapted to urge said strips together therebetween with corresponding cavities brought into registration sealing the stripsv together around the margins of said cavities, mechanism operable to establish a suction within corresponding cavities successively as they are moved toward registration, and mechanism operable to release the suction within said cavities following their movement into registrationand as the illled capsule bodies are fed from between said die rolls.

9. Apparatus for forming and iilling capsulescomprising, in combination, a pair of arbors, a pair of die rolls each rotatively mounted on an arbor and arranged in endwise juxtaposition, means for feeding a pair of strips of capsule forming material between said die rolls, means for supplying liquid iiller material into the space between said strips of capsule forming material as they are fed between said die rolls, each of said die rolls provided with a plurality of capsule forming cavities on its periphery arranged to advance into registration with corresponding cavities on the other die roll as the die rolls rotate about their respective arbors, each of said die rolls further provided with air passages leading from the base of each cavity to the inner periphery of the die roll, each of said arbors provided with a pair of recesses on their respective peripheries into which said air passages open, means for producing subatrnospherlc pressure in one recess of each of said arbors, means for producing a relatively greater air pressure in the other recess oi each of said arbors, said recesses arranged relative to one another and to said air passages to cause subatmospheric air to enter the cavities of said die rolls as they approach registration and to cause air under greater pressure to enter said cavities as they diverge from registration whereby said strips of capsule forming material are first deformed by the subatmospheric pressure to furnish corresponding halves of filled capsule bodies and then released from said cavities by the increased air pressure supplied thereto.

ROBERT P. SCHERER. 

